


Interconnected

by BooksandKpop



Category: Pentagon (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Dreaming, M/M, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-05-09 01:39:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14706681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BooksandKpop/pseuds/BooksandKpop
Summary: Dreamers are special. They have the ability to reach through time and space to connect with the mind of their soulmate. Always one soulmate.But he is different, because his soulmates number as nine. And he has a secret he must keep from everyone, even his fellow Dreamers.





	Interconnected

He was harshly snapped back into consciousness by a loud crash and the feeling of liquid running down his face. Disoriented, he tried to calm his erratic heartbeat and remember when he had gone under.

Breathe in; the smell of something metallic lingering underneath all the flowers.

 

Breathe out; the sound of chimes rustling in the wind and birds chirping outside the window.

 

Breathe in; the aftertaste of citrus lingering on his tongue and a hint of something more bitter.

 

Breathe out; the feeling of the leather chair under his skin and the metal grips in his hands.

 

He opened his eyes and saw his handler watching him from the far side of the room, expression unreadable. She stopped her timer when he made eye contact and moved from her position leaning against the wall to make her way over.

"20 seconds from stimulus to focus. That's not good enough. Do you want to get yourself caught?"

"No ma'am."

"Then you'll just have to try harder won't you?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good. Enough for today though. Visit Bae and record your dream state, then go eat something. You look very pale."

"Yes ma'am."

He released the grips in his hands and stood from the chair, sweat making him stick to the material. His handler handed him a towel to dry himself off and he bowed to her before making his way out of the room. What came next was always the worst part.

The marble floor was cool underneath his bare feet, and there was a fresh breeze coming from the atrium. He wanted nothing more than to run outside and bask in the warmth of the sunshine but he couldn't; not yet. The door of Bae's office steadily got closer, and he had to stop outside and steady himself before knocking. A voice echoed from inside telling him to enter, and so bracing himself, he opened the door and walked in.

Darkness and the smell of burning incense enveloped his senses as he entered the room, pulling the door shut behind him. Cautiously he followed the pre-determined path they all learned before reaching the stone bench where Bae was waiting for him.

"You have come to see me?"

"Yes Sir. I need to record my most recent dream state."

"Very well. Sit."

He sat down beside the red-haired man and waited. Sometimes he could be kept waiting for hours before the man decided it was time to speak. Fortunately, today he seemed to be in a good mood.

"Begin recording."

"I am Yeo One. I dreamed for two hours. It started with lemons."

And so he recalled the strange events he had dreamed in as much detail as he could manage. In his head as he spoke, the memories flashed by him again. A bright smile, a deep voice, a loud laugh, full lips, long legs, a tall child, a small adult, bare skin, and a comforting voice. It was never the retelling of his dream that he disliked, but the inevitable critique which followed. When he finished, there was silence. He counted the seconds until the man beside him spoke aloud.

"Yeo One. You are certainly an anomaly. Nine boys, it still has not changed?"

"No Sir, it is still the same."

"Interesting. I have met those with two before, but never nine. You do understand how strange this is?"

"Yes Sir."

"I see. Very well; your dream state has been recorded. You may go."

"Thank you Sir."

And with that he stood from the icy stone seat and bowed in the man's direction. He walked towards the door as quickly as he could without making a mistake, and when he finally reached it he pulled it open and rushed outside. The bright sunlight blinded him momentarily but it was welcomed. He hated nothing more than the crushing darkness. Feeling his stomach start to protest at its emptiness, he made his way through the compound towards the dining hall.

When he arrived it was quite empty, most of the others had eaten earlier in the day. He grabbed a portion of rice and vegetables along with a glass of water before sitting at a table as far away from the others as he could get.

It was against the rules to think about dreams after they had been recorded, but he couldn't help himself. The faces of the nine boys in his memory were clear as day. Smiling, laughing, singing - he could never forget how beautiful they looked. No one else could possibly understand the situation he was in, so how could they apply the same rules to him?

Nine soulmates, interconnected across space and time and only visible to him in his dreams. It was painful, but it was his burden to bear.

His thoughts were interrupted by two trays slamming down across from him. He looked up to meet the gaze of the two people who annoyed him the least.

"Yeo One! Missed you in astronomy this morning. I had to sit with Baek, and you know how useless he is."

"Sorry Kim Three, I was dreaming."

"You're always dreaming, why do you get to be so special? I only get to dream once a week if I'm lucky."

"That's because your soulmate almost figured you out Park One, you need to get more control over your manifestation."

"How can I practice control if they won't let me dream?"

Yeo One sighed at his friends bickering, they could never just let it go. The three of them ate their meals with the other two constantly at one another's throats. He finished first and made moves to leave when Kim Three stopped him.

"Ah hold on, we had something we wanted to talk to you about."

"Yeah, it's kind of important."

That was unusual. The seriousness in their tone made him focus his whole attention on the boys across from him. Park One was fidgeting with his tags and Kim Three couldn't meet his eyes.

"Alright, what do you need to tell me?"

"Well, did you hear the rumours last week about an enquiry into the academy?"

"Yeah everyone was going crazy trying to clean their dorms and organise their notes."

"Mmhmm, well you see - I don't think it's just a rumour. At least, partially."

"What he means is, we overheard two of the handlers talking this morning about an inquest into a certain student. Apparently officials are coming from the Cube to question them."

"A certain student? Did you hear who it was?"

"Not a name but - they said something about multiple soulmates."

Yeo One's heart constricted in his chest. He only confided in the two people sitting across from him about the nine boys he dreamed of, and in return they each told him about their soulmates - their one soulmate. He was sure that there had to be some others in the academy who had more than one, but he was the exceptional one. If there really was someone coming, it would be for him. He remained seated, panic starting to grip his chest.

What if they took him away from the academy? What if he was never allowed to dream again? He couldn't live without seeing his soulmates, they were the light at the end of the metaphorical tunnel for him. If he wasn't able to dream - he didn't think he could go on.

His friends both moved to sit beside him and embraced him in a sandwich hug. Their physical warmth and presence grounded him in the moment and he sucked in a deep breath. Even if they did come to take him away, they would have to let him say goodbye.

When he no longer felt like he was going to have a panic attack, he thanked his friends for warning him and said goodbye. He needed time alone to think. They understood, but they made him promise that he would come down for dinner at the usual time or else they would send Kim Two after him - and she was a force to be reckoned with.

He picked up a fresh set of robes from his dorm before heading to the bath house. It was deserted at this hour and so he could bathe in peace. After he washed all the sweat and dirt from his body, he let himself lie back and float weightless in the water. As he did, memories of his soulmates came crashing down on him in a panicked flood; it was like his brain attempting to try and preserve all the precious moments before he was taken away.

It was hands, soft and gentle carding through his hair as they lay together watching a movie. Shinwon always treated him as if he was delicate and needed taking care of.

 

It was making stupid faces in the mirror and seeing who could look the ugliest and laughing hysterically. Hyojong always knew how to raise his spirts when he was feeling down.

 

It was being wrapped up in an embrace that completely swamped his entire body, long limbs covering his own. Wooseok might have been younger but he protected him with all his might.

 

It was holding an exhausted body in his arms in the middle of the night after he came home from gruelling dance practice. Hyunggu always made him feel like he was important and that he had a bigger role to play.

 

It was singing along to every song that played on the radio as they drove through the night. Hwitaek always hit the high notes perfectly with his angelic vocals and he could only listen in awe.

 

It was feeling like he was really tall for once, holding small hands in his as they walked down the street eating ice cream. Jinho was the oldest and yet he was so cute there was no denying him what he wanted.

 

It was yelling and chasing one another round the apartment at two in the morning and the loser being subjected to tickles on the couch. Yuto was much stronger than he looked but always made sure to cuddle him softly when they fell asleep.

 

It was working out for hours on end and then finally arriving home to eat home cooked food and relax with a bubble bath together. Hongseok always made sure to take care of his body and his heart, never letting either get injured.

 

It was watching the wave of finally understanding something crash upon his face and his skin light up golden in the sunlight. Yanan always made him feel like he was looking at an angel, pure in heart and filled with such innocent wonder.

 

It was the secret he kept, not telling even the dream recorder. That his nine soulmates were neither separated in space nor time. That he dreamed them all together.

 

It was Yuto with Hyunggu in his lap as he and Wooseok played a game. It was Jinho and Hongseok cooking a feast in the kitchen. It was Hwitaek and Hyojong working hard to create beautiful pieces of music for them all to share. It was Yanan and Shinwon teaching one another as they read side-by-side.

 

It was all of them smiling when they looked up at him upon his arrival. It was holding hands with Hongseok as he lay in Wooseok's lap while Shinwon played with his hair and Hyojong peppered kisses on his skin. It was watching Yanan and Hyunggu with their legs and arms intertwined and smiling at how beautiful they looked together. It was seeing Yuto lift Jinho up unexpectedly and plant a kiss on his cheek, only for Hwitaek to complain at being left out. It was watching all the pieces of a puzzle falling together like magic.

 

It was ten boys who were soulmates, spending time together like nothing else mattered. It was soft love and caring for one another through all the ups and downs. It was encouragement and teamwork and the promise to be together forever. It was their hearts and souls joined together - interconnected.

 

Yeo One pulled himself out of his memories when he heard the door to the bathhouse open. Five...ten...fifteen seconds before he had all his senses back. It was too late, a body pressed up against his in the water, strong hands holding his wrists. A voice in his ear.

"Do you know your name?"

He focused his eyes on who the voice belonged to. It was Kim One, and Oh sat at the edge of the water with just his feet dipping in. They were both watching him closely. He didn't know what was going on.

"I am Yeo One."

"No, I asked do you know your name?"

"Your real name, the one you had before you were brought here. I know mine, my soulmates use it in my dreams."

"Soulmates? You have more than one?"

"Many of us do Yeo One, but unlike you we hide it from Bae. Oh has four soulmates, I have three. You though, you're more special than that, aren't you?"

"Park One talks in his sleep. Im overheard him one night, and then he told Choi Two who told Yoon who told Lim who told Jang who told me. And then I told Kim One."

"Wait...all of those people know about my soulmates?"

"No one knows how many, just that there are multiple. Enough that you're allowed to dream almost every day. So now there are two questions. Do you know your name? And just how many soulmates do you have?"

He thought of all the times he had dreamed of his soulmates. How they screamed names in delight and mirth, how they whispered them softly in their sleep. He heard all their names in his head called by other voices and his own. But there was a name he didn't know, one that he had never uttered himself. His name. Changgu.

"I know my name. And I have nine soulmates."

The two boys looked shocked at his confession, they obviously hadn't expected a number that high. But Kim One nodded, satisfied with his answers. Oh grinned widely at him.

"I'm just happy I'm not the one with the biggest number anymore!"

"You have obviously heard the rumour of the officials coming from Cube?"

"Yes, Park One and Kim Three told me today. You think they're coming for me?"

"I think so. We we worried it would be Oh, but now -"

"It's me."

"Excluding you, there are six of us who have more than one soulmate. We're all considered abnormal. Although, before you I was the highest at four. Lee Two tipped us off about the officials coming."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because Yeo One, we need to leave. The Cube won't accept that there are so many of us who go against their system. You are especially in danger. We have made plans to escape the compound before the end of the week."

"Escape? How?"

"We'll only tell you if you plan on coming with us."

"What about -"

"You'll get the chance to dream before we go. Find out which of your soulmates is the closest in time and space and you can go to them. The rest of us have all made our arrangements."

"What do you think will happen if I stay?"

"Honestly, I don't want to think about it."

He only had to think about it for a moment before agreeing to the others plan. They gave him all the details he needed to know and they made arrangements for meeting up with the rest of the group. When they finally left the bathhouse Yeo One had a knot in his stomach for what was to come and a warning from Oh - Don't tell Bae about your dream.

The next few days were tense. He dreamed several times and discovered the time and place his soulmates were and managed to keep it from Bae and his friends. As much as he wanted to tell them, when he escaped he couldn't risk them knowing.

At dinner a few hours before they were going to run, he looked at his friends faces and tried to commit them to memory. This would be the last time he saw them. As he left the table when he finished, he couldn't help but give them both a hug. They were confused but returned it anyway - he was going to miss them.

He met with the other six who were escaping that night. Kim One and Oh were there, along with Lee Two, Yoon, Choi One and Kim Two. Briefly he wondered if this meant that Kim Three would become Kim One, but he pushed that thought away. He couldn't afford to think of the friends he was leaving behind. When they were all gathered and prepared, they began their escape.

-

 

He heard a loud bang and immediately started to draw himself out of his dream. Five seconds...ten... But then a strong arm wrapped around him and pulled him into a warm embrace.

"Shhhh, hey it's alright. That was just Wooseok forgetting to duck under the doorframe again."

He took a deep breath in and focused. The sound of singing drifted in through the open door along with the smell of pancakes. He felt warm breath on the back of his neck and arms around his waist, and another pair of hands holding his. Opening his eyes, he smiled.

Hyunggu lay in front of him fast asleep, their fingers intertwined. Shinwon was behind him, watching carefully, but he smiled when their eyes met. Turning his head he came face-to-face with Yanan who looked at him with more love in his eyes than he had ever seen before. He was safe, he was really here with his soulmates. There was nothing to fear.

Just then, Yuto and Jinho walked into the room still dressed in their own sleep wear. They smiled at him softly and whispered so they wouldn't wake Hyunggu.

"Who wants to come out and nurse Wooseok while we go get some ice and pain medication?"

"I'll do it."

Shinwon moved out of bed carefully so he wouldn't disturb the sleeping boy and the three of them made their way into the living room. He drew Hyunggu in closer to his chest and let himself relax hearing the others steady breathing.

"Hey, I'm going to go help Hongseok with breakfast, alright?"

He nodded and Yanan left a quick peck on the back of his neck before quietly scurrying from the room. It was still unbelievable to think they managed to get away and find his soulmates. Smiling to himself he gently placed a kiss on Hyunggu's forehead, loving that this was something he could do whenever he wanted. Hyojong peeked in and made a gesture that indicates he should wake their sleeping beauty up before disappearing again.

Shaking his shoulders gently and calling his name, Hyunggu eventually emerged from his deep sleep. Eyes opened and looked at him with sleepy wonder and he couldn't help but smile at how cute the other was.

"Morning."

"Good morning Hyunggu."

"Where are the others?"

"It's breakfast time."

The words breakfast lit up the younger boys features and he immediately sat up in bed. Laughing, the two of them made their way out of the bedroom hand in hand. It was a bright, warm morning and he couldn't help but smile at the sight before him.

It was Hongseok and Yanan cooking breakfast, sharing gentle touches and smiles as they worked. It was Wooseok curled up in Shinwon's lap while Hyojong tried to convince him to drink water. It was Hwitaek singing from the balcony as he tried to finish the song he was working on. It was Jinho and Yuto arriving back with medicine and ice, Yuto immediately going over to their youngest and Jinho heading outside to help with harmonies. It was Hyunggu's hand in his and the bustle of life moving around the apartment they shared.

 

Hongseok turned around and called everyone to the table for food. The ten of them sat down and happily tucked in, thanking their chefs for the hard work. They laughed and chatted and cooed over poor Wooseok being too tall for the bedroom door. Everything felt right in that moment, and he had to do something about it.

"I love you guys."

"We love you too Changgu

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this piece in about an hour and a half on my phone for a competition on Amino. It's different to my usual style but I still hope you like it!!
> 
> Bonus points if you can name all the other Dreamers in this fic. My hint to you is that they are all 96 liners!


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